Fourth Judicial District GAL Program

The Fourth Judicial District Guardian ad Litem Program is dedicated to advocating for the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes as a result of abuse and neglect.

Different from a legal guardian, the Guardian ad Litem has no control over the person or property of the child and does not provide a home for the child. The Guardian ad Litem does not function as the child's attorney and does not provide direct services to the child.

The Fourth District provides this service with a combination of paid staff and more than 250 specially-trained community volunteers. On any given day, guardians ad litem represent the best interests of some 2,500 vulnerable children involved in the court system through no fault of their own.

There is a continuing need for child advocates due to the high numbers of abused and neglected children coming to the attention of the court.

The Hennepin County volunteer Guardian ad Litem/Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children has upcoming orientations for our fall sessions in September and October and you are invited! People can come and hear more about the requirements of the program, our application process and the day to day work of our advocates from one of our wonderful volunteers. Please feel free to bring family, friends or colleagues who may also be interested or a good fit for our program. Our training schedule, application, and information booklet are attached. RSVP’s are required. Contact Michelle Johnson at (612) 596-7403 or michelle.johnson@courts.state.mn.us